Changes in dermatology patient care during COVID
Facts at your fingertips
By Emily Margosian, assistant editor, April 1, 2021
While dermatology practice operations have undergone waves of change during the COVID-19 pandemic, physicians have continued to meet the needs of their patients throughout the crisis. In the spring and fall of 2020, the AAD surveyed members to capture how COVID has affected their practice. Based on results from both phases of the AAD Dermatologist Experience Under COVID-19 survey, in the early stages of the pandemic, dermatologists almost exclusively focused on essential medical and surgical cases. However, by October 2020, dermatologists across the country had begun re-adding cosmetic work to their caseload.
Survey results also showed that the proportion of dermatologists involved in direct care for COVID-19 patients stayed relatively the same between May and October of 2020 — around 17% of the dermatology physician workforce. Of those involved in direct COVID care, over half (58%) reported treating established patients who had contracted COVID, while another 38% saw COVID patients who were referred to them for a dermatology consult.
For a further breakdown of how COVID has shifted dermatology treatment patterns, see below.
